SUNRISE, Fla. – Devils coach Pete DeBoer said he was pondering some lineup changes for tonight’s meeting with the Florida Panthers.

One of those changes will be defenseman Adam Larsson going back in, while Henrik Tallinder was activated from IR and will also play.

“I’m ready. I was told to be ready,” said Tallinder, who missed 11 games with an ankle injury.

Rookie winger Harri Pesonen was assigned to Albany (AHL) today to make room for Tallinder.

DeBoer was aked the importance of winning tonight and what it would mean for his view of the road trip.

“The bottom line is we have to keep getting points,” he said. “There are no do or die road trips. There are no do or die games. We know the situation we’re in. We know we have to play a little better than we did last night, but we’re not in any do or die situations. We just have to play our game and keep picking up points.”

Asked if he thought about using Tom Kostopoulos in the shootout since he scored on a penalty shot, DeBoer said: “He was right before Volchy.”

Defenseman Anton Volchenkov would probably be the last obvious choice in a shootout.

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DeBoer denied that he benched Volchenkov for most of the last 10 minutes in Tampa.

"I don't think he had his best game, but I don't single him out for anything," the coach said. "I didn't know (his minutes) got cut as much."

Right winger David Clarkson, one goal in his last six games, apparently got a slap on the wrist by the Devils' coaching staff. That may have been the reason Clarkson decided to take part in today's optional morning skate.

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The Devils are starting to get some goals from their defensemen. In their last six games, the team's defensemen have combined for five goals and four assists.

“We’ve put a premium on trying to get pucks to the net and trying to create some offense from back there,” DeBoer said. “Obviously with Kovalchuk out we’ve got to find some goals from some different places. Those guys have been contributing. Our power play has been getting some goals, contributing every night. That’s going to be a necessity for us.”

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DeBoer said he is rotating the 'A' usually worn by Ilya Kovalchuk between Greene and Travis Zajac.

"Those two guys will rotate until Kovy comes back," DeBoer explained. "They're the right guys. We've got a lot of guys in that room that probably deserve to wear a letter. Those two guys, I think, separate themselves a little bit."

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Tonight’s game will be the Devils’ first visit here since they won Game 7 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the Panthers on Adam Henrique’s overtime goal.

What comes to mind for DeBoer?

“Just winning. It was an emotional series for a lot of different reasons,” he said. “First time in the playoffs. New Jersey hadn’t been through the first round in quite a few years. Playing your ex-team. There was a lot of emotion in that.

“We went on to bigger and better things, but that was really the big hurdle we had to get over to go on the run we went on. That was obviously the toughest series we had until we hit L.A. To Kevin’s (Dineen) credit and the Panthers’ credit, they gave us everything we could handle.”

DeBoer, of course, started his NHL coaching career with the Panthers.

“Always special thoughts for us. It was a great three years for my personal development,” he said. “I made a lot of friends down here. It wasn’t always easy. There were some tough times. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

"I've been watching (Markstrom) from afar. Another good kid i have a lot of time for," DeBoer said. "I'm glad to see he's playing as well as he has. He's played some great games for them.

"You knew he would. He's got a great pedigree. Everyone knew he was going to be a good goaltender. Young guys take some time. I think that's the same with (Shawn Matthias) and those guys. It takes a few years to become good players. Not everyone jumps in like (Jonathan) Huberdeau does and does what he does."